NEW-photo albums

I created a new section on this blog called "Photo Albums". Please click on the link on the right side to see most recent photo albums. I will be adding photo albums for our past vacations, etc. soon!

Tokyo Report-3

While we were in Tokyo, we stayed at Courtyard Marriott Ginza Tobu Hotel. They just finished renovating, and although it is a small hotel, it is a nice hotel (not nice enough to be Category 6 in my opinion). Its Ginza location is fabulous for window and real shopping (Ginza is like the 5th avenue of Manhattan) and Kabuki Theater going, and is close to two subway stations. Speaking of Tokyo subway system, it is the best I've seen in the world. You can go virtually anywhere as numerous subway and railway lines are intertwined in and around Tokyo like a spider web. Ginza street is open to pedestrians on every Sunday, making it a pleasure to walk around the area. We had yummy soba noodle (buckwheat) dish with vegetable tempura for lunch. Ginza is a must place to visit when you guys come see us here.

Tokyo Report-2

We went furniture shopping to IKEA the day after we put in our application for the new apartment. IKEA is located outside of Tokyo in Chiba prefecture in Minami-Funabashi, four JR (Japan Railways) train stations away from Tokyo Disneyland.

Fancy furniture has never been our thing, so IKEA was perfect. We bought a coffee table, a TV stand, a bed and a frame, night stands and a microwave cart, lanai table and chairs, sheets, pillows, an area rug, a duvet and a cover all for just $2300!!! Judging by how crowded it was by people of all ages, IKEA is embraced by Japanese well. What could be better, you can go to Disneyland and stop by IKEA for living happily ever after (the furniture break down)!

*You can click any highlighted words to get directed to the links.

Tokyo Report-1

What a week! We just came back from Tokyo, and it was very productive. First thing first, yes, we have a new apartment! We totally fell in love with this one. It's on the border of Akasaka and Roppongi, 10 minutes walk from my office, and it has a killer view (of Roppongi Midtown), a high ceiling and a sliding door-wall that allows us to connect the living room with the bedroom, giving us an "illusion" the place is bigger (it's 550 sq.ft). It's a brand new 18 story, 92 unit building, and since only 10 units were rented we could pick the one we liked. We started on the 4th floor. Then we saw the 6th, 7th, you get the idea. Rent kept going up but since they charged us no gift money and only two months of security deposit so we figured we could pay a little more so we got the 10th. Wow, our new life in Tokyo is becoming a reality little by little...Stay tuned!

Apartment hunting

Over the last week or so, I have logged in numerous hours online in search for the perfect apartment in Tokyo. Our requirements : a subway station or two away from the new office (Roppongi Midtown building, the tallest building in Tokyo and home to the The Ritz Carlton Hotel Tokyo), pets OK, one bedroom at least 450 sq feet or bigger. No it's not a typo. It is 450 sq feet not 1450. Oh my gosh, it is expensive! In this posh neighborhood apartment that meets above requirements, the monthly rental starts at about $2000 and goes up to $5000 (The Ritz Carlton Residents)! Our budget is around $2500. Tomorrow Shawn and I are leaving for Tokyo for 6 days to meet this harsh reality and find our new place. Oh, to make it worse, our landlord will charge us two months GIFT money (literally a gift) and two to three months security deposit! Then we have to pay a month rent to the renting agent! What is this? Apartment rental or robbery? Oh well, when in Tokyo, do what Tokyorites  do.....Wish us luck!

Our favorite vacations : Sydney, Australia

Shawn and I love to travel. In our 16 years of marriage, we traveled almost as often as we got into a fight. Wait a minute, that is a lie...lol! In this blog, I will be showing favorite photos from our previous vacations to share vacation memories with you (and hopefully inspire you to go there). 

Our first one is from Sydney, Australia. We went in May, 2005 and stayed there for 8 days. In Sydney we have a few beautiful Marriott hotels, and we stayed at the one on the Quay. We enjoyed the beautiful harbour, sunny people, international cuisine, shopping and nightlife. Don't forget Koalas and Kangaroos. Here is a photo of the harbor from a commuter ferry of the famed Opera House. It is a marvel from a far and close range. For adventurers, there is a tour of climbing the Sydney Bridge. Of course, the farthest we went was going to the top of Sydney's highest building, Sydney Tower! 

Good bye Ko Olina!

April 4th was our last day at Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club. I had great 3+ years and Shawn a year+ there. During our time there, we managed to sell total 12 million dollars of timeshare! 

Are we crazy to leave this beautiful resort behind and move to Tokyo, a huge cosmopolitan city with 12 million people that has a reputation of being the most expensive city in the world to live? We will miss the island living and the weather for sure, but living in Tokyo will certainly be worth the try as it is often compared to other great cities around the world as NYC, Paris and London. 

As for Ko Olina, we own a week there so we can visit as owners from now on. I bet it will be nice to enjoy this gorgeous resort as owners for once, not as sales executives!